DMSO Cost

[Mainemom]

I finally heard from my doctors office today, three days later than I was supposed to. Any way they say that I don'thave a uti and that I can start my treatments and that i am supposed to stop and the drug store and pick the meds and go to thier office. I called the drug store it is going to cost me 30 for the meds and then 20 for office visit. I am just a little beside myself because I can't afford that right now. I gess I was under the dillusion that the doctor had these meds right there and that it would not be any more than an office visit.
Is this the normal way they do the DMSO treatments?
Kirsten

[Indy]

I have never heard of that! 3 urologists I have seen have always had everything, even an antibiotic as a preventitive after the procedure. It is billed as an in office "surgery."

[Sarojini]

My DMSO's are the same as Indy's... my uro has all the supplies ready to go at the office, including the individual antibiotic pills they give me to take after the treatment. Also, it is billed as in office surgery for me too.

Jen

[Kiyoka]

Today I aksed my doctor if I could start DMSO, and she give me a RX for Marcaine, and rimso sp? She wants me to get them and being them to the office where she will put it in me. She just opened her office and today is the first day to see pantient. I really don't know how much it cost yet..I hope not to much.

[Mainemom]

I jus thought that it was really expensive if I have to get the meds and then pay for office visit on top of it. I guess there is no generic for the meds that were ordered because my co-pay was 30 dollars.
I am going to have to have them do something else. I can't afford to pay 300 for a 6 week treatment.
Thank you for you help

[yvette]

hi there:

Every doctor may handle their procedures differently. I had to do the same as you....I got a Rx for the vials of DMSO. I bought from the pharmacy and then a $10 copay to have them instlled.

BUT, I had to have her rewrite the Rx slip....she at first wrote 6 rx slips for 1 vial per week at $30 each.....and at 6 visits that would have been $30 x 6 weeks = $180 PLUS $10 copay x 6 = $60.....a whopping total of $240 when it was all said and done. Man alive! :toilet: I can't afford that....I pay enough as it is for health insurance out of my check....ack!

Okay I'm straying....I had her rewrite the script for 6 all at once -- vials for $30, which broke it down to $5 per vial rather than $30. Also I've done mail order for *injectibles* (DMSO is considered an injectable when doing mail order) and they can be much cheaper.... :)

[blue]

At first, my doctor gave me a prescription and told me to fill it at the pharmacy. The pharmacy said the insurance wouldn't cover it. I called the doctor's office, and they thought I was crazy. Anyway, I called the insurance co. ( AETNA ) They had the doctor call the prescription into a mail order pharmacy. Then, it was delivered directly to the doctor's office. It didn't cost me anything.

I hope this helps....

[ICNDonna]

My doctor's office also has all the supplies --- and my insurance covers it. I don't have prescription coverage with my insurance so it's a real blessing that they do that.

Donna

[Lyn40]

Thank you all for sharing these cost saving insurance tips. My new insurance plan does not include my Uro (IC specialist) in my network. That alone is costly, but maybe there is a better way to cut down on the cost of the DMSO treatments.

Thank you,
Lyn
:pray:

[kadi]

I've not had any treatments yet, but Stanford also has patients get the meds from a prescription service & bring them to the office the first time. After the 1st time, they are stored for patients there.

Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

[Mainemom]

I asked my doctor and the pharmacist about getting all 6 doses at once and they said that was not possible. They both said that there have not been any longevity trials and that a DMSO treatment as the shelf life of 3 hours max. And that is why they make it a hours before the appointment. I had to cancel my appointment because 300 over a week period is alot of money and I can't do it.
Thank you for all the good advice I appreciate it.
Kirsten

[yvette]

I'm not sure what they both are referencing to the self life of 3 hours of...if they mean cracking open all the vials and mixing up a cocktail, then yes you can't keep that viable over 6 weeks....

but the vials come in 50mL bottles (about 1/2 C liquid). They are like single servings and their expiration date is more than 3 hours, its like year or two. (I'm looking at my spare bottle of RIMSO-50 as I type this). You should be able to bring in one bottle per week. I wonder why they won't give it to as 6 vials all at once.(?) That's like selling 1 pill a day vs. 30 pills (one month supply) all at once. Crazy! :dizzy:

Maybe they are envisioing something different that what you are suggesting....how frustrating. My first round of DMSO treatments in 1997 I had a box of 21 or so different bottles I had to order from a co. in PA. And that was for a 7 week course of treatment. They were all hermedically sealed until the appointment. I had actually dmso and 2 other drugs to make a *cocktail*.

Kirsten I hope it all works out for you...its just so exhasuting I suppose getting all sorts of different information and having to do all the legwork yourself to boot. :confused:

[Mainemom]

My doctor doesn't do an of the mixing. the pharmacy does it all and so that must be the problem. I don't understand it at all, when i got off the phone after canceling the appointment she said well there isn't much else they could do for me and to keep in touch and let them know if there is anything they can do for me. I am at a point that i don't have a clue what to tell them I am in alot of pain and can not get them to help with that.
Thank you again for all your help i appreciate it
Kirsten

[britnee]

Hi, I'm from Canada and have been undergoing DMSO treatments for the past several months. The hospital I attend supplies the DMSO. I have never had to acquire it from a pharmacy or pay a monetary amount regarding DMSO. You could contact the hospital where you will be undergoing DMSO to confirm whether or not they supply it. The hospital I attend does. I hope this info is of assistance.

:) :) :) :)

[jjmowen]

My doctor's office mixes it right there. They have several DMSO patients and they have all of the supplies and the nurse mixes it right before I come into the room. I only pay for my doctor visit Copay. Maybe you can call other Uro's in your area and see if anyone else handles this a different way. Maybe you can find a doctor that orders the supplies for their office.

Good Luck